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The Context

The CLIVAR project was launched in 1995 building on the successes of the Tropical Ocean – Global Atmosphere Project (TOGA) and the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) to further understanding of the oceans and climate.

CLIVAR works closely with its sister WCRP core projects, in particular in the implementation of the WCRP Grand Science Challenges (link), and with the WCRP global modelling working groups (WGCM and WGSIP) and Working Group on Regional Climate (WGRC). The WCRP Modelling and Data and Analysis Councils (WMAC and WDAC) serve to coordinate high-level aspects of modelling and data across WCRP, integrating CLIVAR efforts with those of the other WCRP activities and other partners such as IGBP and WWRP

CLIVAR also contributes to initiatives of the two other WCRP sponsors, WMO and ICSU.

The Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), is a global partnership of governments and organizations that produce and use climate information and services, guiding the development and application of science-based climate information and services in support of decision-making. It provides a unique opportunity for CLIVAR to transfer the knowledge gained through research to the operational climate services community. CLIVAR activities and scientists will contribute to the success of Future Earth, a new 10-year international research initiative that is bringing together three of the major global environmental change programmes (DIVERSITAS, the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP)) to develop the knowledge needed to respond effectively to the risks and opportunities of global environmental change and in support of transformation towards global sustainability in the coming decades. CLIVAR works closely with several of the existing IGBP projects, in particular PAGES, IMBER and SOLAS.

National and multi-national activities are where CLIVAR science is implemented. National projects, agencies and institutions funding and supporting CLIVAR research are too numerous to be listed here; specific activities are referred to in the related Panel and Research Foci webpages.